Global Scans · Life Below Water · Weekly Summary

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In September 2015, 193 world leaders agreed to 17 Global Goals for Sustainable Development. If these Goals are completed, it would mean an end to extreme poverty, inequality and climate change by 2030.
Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.

• [New] The introduction of harmful aquatic organisms to new environments by ships has been identified as a major threat to the world's oceans and to the conservation of biodiversity. Witherbys
• [New] Maldives has a total land area of 20,130 square km (formed by 1190 islands) situated in 974,000 square km of the Indian Ocean that needs constant watch against internal and external threats. The Diplomat
• [New] Scientists expect environmental changes such as warming oceans, rising sea levels, frequency and intensity of floods and droughts, and ocean acidification to increase with continued shifts in the planet's climate system. NOAA
• [New] NASA scientists hope to use EELS to search for signs of life in the ocean beneath the icy crust of Saturn's Enceladus moon. The Robot Report
• [New] Sea-based drone warfare in the Black Sea between Russia and Ukraine and the Houthi rebels' disruption of commercial shipping in the Red Sea have become conflict hot spots. Insider
• [New] Iran may be trying to play on fears that it could obstruct shipping through the strait, a passageway of greater significance to global oil and gas supplies than the Red Sea. Unofficial Networks LLC
• [New] Last month, the IEA made a 110,000 barrels per day upward revision of its global oil demand from its previous forecast saying shipping disruptions on the Red Sea caused by Hamas attacks would lead to higher fuel consumption as ships take the 4,000-mile detour around the African continent. oilprice.com
• [New] On induction, the Fleet Support Ships will bolster the 'Blue Water' capabilities of the Indian Navy through replenishment of fleet ships at sea. SSBCrackExams
• [New] The conflict in the Middle East has caused disruptions in sea shipments between Europe and Asia, and similar tensions elsewhere could lead to further trade fragmentation. Mint
• [New] American and British airstrikes in retaliation to Houthi attacks on tankers in the Red Sea sparked fears of conflict escalation and potential disruptions to essential oil trade routes. Gilmore
• [New] Downside risks to the economic outlook remain, notably from developments in the Middle East including disruption to shipping through the Red Sea. The Scottish Government
• President Biden has vowed that the United States will defend the Philippines from any attack in the South China Sea, calling its support for Manila ironclad. Just Security
• If the United States goes to war with Russia or China before 2029, it will not have any frigates to escort ships across the two oceans. The Telegraph
• Climate change, rising sea levels, and the El Nino phenomenon are expected to intensify saltwater intrusion, with an estimated $3 billion in crop losses anticipated for 2024, international media reports. ReliefWeb
• 675,000 people and $250 billion in property are at risk of flooding in a scenario with 2m of sea level rise combined with a 100-year storm. UC Santa Cruz News
• Disruptions have been rife, with the chain of events starting with the COVID-19 pandemic, continuing with the blockage of the Suez Canal and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and leading to the impacts of the Red Sea attacks in 2024. TechHQ
• Rising waters were forecast in Siberia's Ishim River, also a tributary of the Irtysh, which along with its parent, the Ob, forms the world's seventh-longest river system. Voice of America (VOA News)
• Indonesia clashes with China over the Natuna Islands and surrounding waters in the South China Sea, which Beijing has threatened by asserting maritime rights and sending fishing boats into Jakarta's exclusive economic zone. Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
• Attacks on shipping in the Red Sea by the Houthi militia in Yemen have exposed the vulnerability of African maritime security. Centro de estudos estrategicos de Africa
• Ongoing global disruption has added another layer of complexity to already fragile supply chains, including the conflict in Ukraine and the Middle East, as well as ongoing attacks on vessels in the Red Sea. Haines Watts Group
• Rising water was forecast in Siberia's Ishim and Tobol rivers, tributaries of the Irtysh river, which along with its parent, the Ob, forms the world's seventh-longest river system. Al Jazeera
• Flood risk zones will extend higher and further inland on Canada's coast, particularly impacting populated areas in parts of Metro Vancouver south of the Fraser River. CBC

Last updated: 21 April 2024